HEALTH NEWS
Study Title:
Tyrosine Boosts Dopamine Levels
Study Abstract
Brain catechol synthesis was estimated by measuring the rate at which brain dopa levels rose following decarboxylase inhibition. Dopa accumulation was accelerated by tyrosine administration, and decreased by treatments that lowered brain tyrosine concentrations (for example, intraperitoneal tryptophan, leucine, or parachlorophenylalanine). A low dose of phenylalanine elevated brain tyrosine without accelerating dopa synthesis. Our findings raise the possibility that nutritional and endocrine factors might influence brain catecholamine synthesis by controlling the availability of tyrosine.
Study Information
Wurtman RJ, Larin F, Mostafapour S, Fernstrom JD.Brain catechol synthesis: control by train tyrosine concentration.
Science.
1974 July